Enteral Feeding Connector

ABSTRACT

A female enteral feeding connector includes a body having a hollow interior and an opening extending into the hollow interior for receiving a tip of a preselected male enteral feeding connector. A deformable retainer is mounted in the hollow interior adjacent the opening. A guard is mounted in the hollow interior and spaced from the retainer. A stop is positioned in the hollow interior for obstructing the opening in the body. The stop is moveable through the deformable retainer by application of a manual force on the preselected male enteral feeding connector from an obstructing position in which the stop obstructs the opening in the body from receiving the tip of the preselected male enteral feeding connector, to a non-obstructing position in which the stop permits the opening in the body to receive the tip of the preselected male enteral feeding connector.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to an enteral feeding tube, andmore particularly to an enteral feeding tube having a discriminatingconnector.

BACKGROUND

Feeding tube and catheter misconnections are a serious problem inhospitals. One such type of misconnection error involves enteral feedingtubes and intravenous catheters. Enteral feeding tubes are used toadminister liquid nutritional solutions and medications directly to apatient's gastrointestinal system. In contrast, intravenous cathetersare used to administer liquid nutritional solutions and medicationsdirectly to a patient's vascular system. Patients may be harmed iffeeding solutions are administered intravenously and vice versa. Errorssuch as this occur because medical professionals use similar oridentical tubing for different purposes. The use of luer tips, includingluer-lock components, contributes to many of these errors because theyenable functionally dissimilar tubes or catheters to be connected. Forexample, a luer tip may be inserted improperly into a connector oradaptor of a feeding tube, with potential harmful results. The presentinvention is directed a discriminating connector assembly for ensuringthat the proper tubing and catheters are connected.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the present invention, a female enteral feedingconnector for connecting a feeding tube to a preselected male enteralfeeding connector having a tip of a predetermined width and lengthgenerally comprises a body having a hollow interior and an openingextending into the hollow interior sized and shaped for receiving thetip of the preselected male enteral feeding connector. The body isadapted to be connected to a feeding tube. A deformable retainer ismounted in the hollow interior of the body adjacent the opening. A guardis mounted in the hollow interior of the body spaced from the retainer.A stop is positioned in the hollow interior of the body for obstructingthe opening in the body except when the tip of the preselected maleenteral feeding connector is inserted into the connector body opening.The stop is moveable through the deformable retainer by application of amanual force on the preselected male enteral feeding connector from anobstructing position located between the opening and the retainer, inwhich the stop obstructs the opening in the body from receiving the tipof the preselected male enteral feeding connector, to a non-obstructingposition located between the retainer and the guard, in which the stoppermits the opening in the body to receive the tip of the preselectedmale enteral feeding connector.

In another aspect, a female enteral feeding connector for connecting afeeding tube to a preselected male enteral feeding connector having atip of a predetermined width and length generally comprises a bodyhaving a hollow interior and an opening extending into the hollowinterior sized and shaped for receiving the tip of the preselected maleenteral feeding connector. The body is adapted to be connected to afeeding tube. A stop is positioned in the body for obstructing theopening in the body except when the tip of the preselected male enteralfeeding connector is inserted into the connector body opening. Aretainer is adapted for retaining the stop in a position in which itobstructs the opening in the body. The retainer permits the stop to moveaway from the opening when engaged by the tip of the preselected maleenteral feeding connector to permit insertion of the tip into theopening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a syringe and a portion of a feeding tubehaving a connector assembly of the present invention attached thereto;

FIG. 2 is a perspective of the syringe and feeding tube connected by theconnector assembly;

FIG. 3 is a partial elevation of the syringe and tip of the connectorassembly, and a cross section of the feeding tube and fitting of theconnector assembly separated from the syringe;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the syringe and tippartially inserted into the fitting of the connector assembly; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 but showing the syringe andtip fully inserted.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention is directed to anenteral feeding tube connector assembly, generally indicated at 10,configured to provide a sealed fluid connection between a syringe 12 andan enteral feeding tube 14. The connector assembly 10 comprises a tip 16(broadly, a male connector) attached to the syringe 12, and a fitting 18(broadly, a female connector) attached to the feeding tube 14. As willbe explained in greater detail below, the connectors are preselectedsuch that the fitting 18 is adapted to receive the tip 16 to provide thesealed connection between the syringe 12 and the feeding tube 14 sonutrients can be delivered from the syringe through the feeding tube toa patient. It is understood the tip 16 could be attached to a feedingtube (not shown) for connecting two feeding tubes together. The tip 16and fitting 18 may be formed from a rigid plastic, such aspolypropylene. Alternatively, the tip 16 and fitting 18 may be formedfrom another material.

In the illustrated embodiment, the tip 16 is integrally formed with thesyringe 12 by molding. The tip 16 tappers to a predetermined width W_(T)over a length L_(T) (FIG. 3). The fitting 18 comprises a body 24integrally formed with an end of the feeding tube 14 such as by molding.It is understood that either the tip 16 or the fitting 18 can be formedseparately from the syringe 12 or feeding tube 14, respectively, andattached thereto by a suitable means. The body 24 has a hollow interior26 and an opening 28 extending into the hollow interior. The body 24 hasa generally tubular shape so the opening 28 has a circular crosssection. A width W_(O) of the opening 28 is sized for receiving the tip16 of the syringe 12. The body 24 has a tapered inner surface 30surrounding the opening 28 for engaging an outer surface of the tip 16.The inner surface 30 narrows toward the opening 28 to seal around thetip 16 for connecting the syringe 12 to the fitting 18. The body 24 mayhave other shapes without departing from the scope of the presentinvention. The body 24 may also be provided with an o-ring (not shown)for sealing the connector assembly 10 between the tip 16 and fitting 18.The hollow interior 26 of the body 24 includes a port 32 opposite theopening 28 for communicating the hollow interior with the feeding tube14. A flange 32 is disposed around the opening 28 to strengthen andreduce the flexibility of the opening.

Referring to FIG. 3, a deformable retainer 40 mounted in the hollowinterior 26 of the body 24 adjacent the opening 28 is generallycoaxially aligned with the opening. The retainer 40 comprises an annularmember having a tapered inner surface 42. In one embodiment, the innersurface tapers away from the opening 28 so that it is broadest at aportion of the retainer 40 that is closest to the opening and narrowestat a portion of the retainer that is farthest from the opening. Theretainer 40 may have other configurations without departing from thescope of the present invention.

A guard 44 is also mounted in the hollow interior 26 of the body 24. Theguard 42 is spaced from the retainer 40 and located adjacent the port 32so that the guard surrounds the port. The guard 44 comprises an annularmember having a tapered surface 46 facing the hollow interior 26 of thebody 24. The tapered surface 46 tapers toward the retainer 40 so that itis broadest at a portion of the guard 42 that is closest to the port 32and narrowest at a portion of the guard that is closest to the retainer.The guard 44 may have other configurations without departing from thescope of the present invention. A stop 50 is positioned in the hollowinterior 26 of the body 24 for obstructing the opening 28. In theillustrated embodiment the stop 50 comprises a spherical member.However, the stop may have other shapes and configurations withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

Prior to inserting the tip 16 into the opening 28, the stop 50 isretained in the opening by the retainer 40, obstructing the opening.When the tip 16 is inserted into the opening 28, the tip engages thestop 50, pressing the stop against the inner surface 42 of the retainer40 (FIG. 4). The retainer 40 is spaced from the opening 28 by a distanceD1 that is less than a combined length L_(O) of the tip 16 and the stop50 so that if the tip is inserted with a sufficient force, the stop 50will deform the retainer 40 by spreading open the narrow portion of theretainer, allowing the stop to move past the retainer. The guard 44 isspaced from the retainer 40 by a distance D2 that is greater than alength L2 of the stop 50 so that the stop 50 will then move farther intothe hollow interior 26 of the body 24 between the retainer 40 and theguard 44, permitting the tip 16 to enter the interior of the body (FIG.5). The stop 50 will finally come to rest on the tapered surface 46 ofthe guard 44. At this point the tip 16 may be fully inserted into theopening 28 attaching the tip to the fitting 18. The tapered surface 46of the guard 44 is configured to hold the stop 50 away from the port 32allowing nutrients from the syringe 12 to pass unobstructed through theport 32 and into the feeding tube 14.

The connector assembly 10 removes the opportunity for connection errorduring treatment of a patient because no device other than one having amating connector can be connected to the feeding tube 14 withoutsubstantial leakage.

Having described the invention in detail, it will be apparent thatmodifications and variations are possible without departing from thescope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferredembodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the”, and “said” areintended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms“comprising”, “including”, and “having” are intended to be inclusive andmean that there may be additional elements other than the listedelements.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions, products,and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it isintended that all matter contained in the above description and shown inthe accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and notin a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A female enteral feeding connector for connectinga feeding tube to a preselected male enteral feeding connector having atip of a predetermined width and length, said female enteral feedingconnector comprising: a body having a hollow interior and an openingextending into the hollow interior sized and shaped for receiving thetip of the preselected male enteral feeding connector, said body beingadapted to be connected to a feeding tube; a deformable retainer mountedin the hollow interior of the body adjacent the opening; a guard mountedin the hollow interior of the body spaced from the retainer; and a stoppositioned in the hollow interior of the body for obstructing theopening in the body except when the tip of the preselected male enteralfeeding connector is inserted into the connector body opening, the stopbeing moveable through the deformable retainer by application of amanual force on the preselected male enteral feeding connector from anobstructing position located between the opening and the retainer, inwhich the stop obstructs the opening in the body from receiving the tipof the preselected male enteral feeding connector, to a non-obstructingposition located between the retainer and the guard, in which the stoppermits the opening in the body to receive the tip of the preselectedmale enteral feeding connector.
 2. A connector as set forth in claim 1wherein the guard has a tapered surface facing the hollow interior ofthe body that is narrowest toward the retainer.
 3. A connector as setforth in claim 1 wherein the retainer has a tapered inner surface forengaging the stop, the inner surface being broadest adjacent theopening.
 4. A connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the body has atapered inner surface surrounding the opening, the tapered inner surfacebeing narrowest adjacent the opening.
 5. A connector as set forth inclaim 1 wherein: the body has a port communicating the hollow interiorwith the feeding tube; and the opening of the body, the retainer, andthe guard are coaxially aligned with the port of the body.
 6. A femaleenteral feeding connector for connecting a feeding tube to a preselectedmale enteral feeding connector having a tip a predetermined width andlength, said female enteral feeding connector comprising: a body havinga hollow interior and an opening extending into the hollow interiorsized and shaped for receiving the tip of the preselected male enteralfeeding connector, said body being adapted to be connected to a feedingtube; a stop positioned in the body for obstructing the opening in thebody except when the tip of the preselected male enteral feedingconnector is inserted into the connector body opening; and a retaineradapted for retaining the stop in a position in which it obstructs theopening in the body, said retainer permitting the stop to move away fromthe opening when engaged by the tip of the preselected male enteralfeeding connector to permit insertion of the tip into the opening.
 7. Aconnector as set forth in claim 6 wherein said retainer is spaced fromthe opening by a distance less than a combined length of the tip and thestop.
 8. A connector as set forth in claim 6 wherein said retainerdeforms to permit the stop to move away from the opening when engaged bythe tip of the preselected male enteral feeding connector to permitinsertion of the tip into the opening.
 9. A connector as set forth inclaim 6 further comprising a guard spaced from the retainer forpreventing the stop from blocking flow through the hollow interior ofthe body between the tip of the male connector and the feeding tube whenthe stop moves away from the opening.
 10. A connector as set forth inclaim 9 wherein the guard is spaced from the retainer by a distancegreater than a length of the stop.
 11. A connector as set forth in claim9 wherein: the body has a port communicating the hollow interior withthe feeding tube; and the guard surrounds the port.
 12. A connector asset forth in claim 11 wherein the guard has a tapered surface that isnarrowest adjacent the retainer.
 13. A connector as set forth in claim 6wherein said body opening has a width at least as great as the width ofthe tip of the preselected male enteral feeding connector.
 14. Aconnector as set forth in claim 6 wherein said body opening has a widthless than that of the stop.
 15. A connector as set forth in claim 14wherein said body opening and the stop each have a circular crosssection.
 16. A connector as set forth in claim 6 wherein the retainer isgenerally coaxially aligned with the opening in the body.
 17. Aconnector as set forth in claim 16 wherein the retainer has a taperedinner surface for engaging the stop.
 18. A connector as set forth inclaim 17 wherein the tapered inner surface of the retainer is broadestadjacent the opening.
 19. A connector as set forth in claim 6 whereinthe body has a tapered inner surface surrounding the opening.
 20. Aconnector as set forth in claim 19 wherein the tapered inner surface ofthe body is narrowest adjacent the opening.
 21. A connector as set forthin claim 20 further comprising a strengthening element positioned aroundthe opening for reducing flexibility of the opening.
 22. A connector asset forth in claim 21 wherein the strengthening element comprises aflange surrounding the opening.